I have decided that enough was enough….

No more eating like a college student.

For years, my culinary solution has laid within once simple gadget: a can opener. That plus a microwave you can literally eat anything. Soups, Sandwiches, Oatmeal, Popcorn are just a few of my quick fix treats that I perfected… Now that I am living in a barn with plenty of free time, I decided that in 2009 I would stop eating like a college student. (Although it sounds like a resolution, it’s not…just a lifestyle change.)

No more grilled cheese sandwiches (unless it is a particularly rainy Saturday) or simple soups. I can read, and know how to measure…how difficult can this concept of cooking really be? From the library I got a great cookbook, “How to Cook Everything Vegetarian” which in its 1,200 pages details how to cook an apple tart to making perfect Pad Thai.

Last night, I decided to attempt one of my favorite dishes: Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Walnuts & Blue Cheese. (Note: my new self-cooking idea has nothing to do with weight loss…purely comfort foods!) I considered that since there is no real restaurant for at least 15 miles from where I live, I should at least try to create some of my favorite foods.

Four pots, two pans and one hour later I had the most kick-ass Macaroni and Cheese of my life. Better than Icon Grill in Seattle by a long shot. I wonder, did it taste good because of the ingredients or because I made it myself? (It is a mystery that will never be solved…which came first, the chicken or the egg?)

Inspired by my first success, I made homemade Banana bread using Mom’s well-tested recipe. Talk about comfort food. I can tell you, there is nothing quite like having a slice of warm banana bread with tea as you watch a movie. It tasted just like Mom’s bread!

I am now batting 100%, which pretty good for this girl who can barely navigate around a kitchen. Next project: homemade lasagna…